What Is Fluke Disease?

Liver flukes are microscopic parasites often found in the livers of livestock, according to the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis. These creatures are ingested, after which they burrow into the liver and lay eggs in the bile ducts.

  1. Damage

    • Liver damage caused by flukes can cause diarrhea, weight loss and jaundice, according to the School of Veterinary Medicine. It can leave animals susceptible to Redwater, a bacterial condition that kills red blood cells.

    Treatment

    • You should treat your livestock with Flukare S or C at least twice a year, according to Petalia.com.au. Closicomb may be administered to kill older fluke living in your livestock.

    Summer Infection

    • Flukes start their lives in snails in the summer. The snails ingest fluke eggs from infected feces.

    Winter Infection

    • Snails become inactive during the winter months. Flukes remain dormant in the snails, then complete their life cycles in livestock the following spring.

    Warning

    • Fluke infestation should be considered in any cases of anemia, chronic diarrhea or death in fluke-prone areas, according to Petalia.com.au.